Ironhold Tactics

Ironhold Tactics is the kind of game that makes you sit still and think, which is a strange thing to say about a phone game. Each map is a puzzle of high ground, chokepoints, and unit range, and one careless move can unravel a whole squad. The campaign eases you in but ramps up fast. By the fifth mission we were replaying turns in our heads on the bus. Units carry over between battles and level into specialist roles, so losing a favorite hurts. There's a small permadeath toggle for people who want the stakes turned all the way up.

What we liked

• Tight tactical maps with real terrain use
• Units you grow attached to over the campaign
• Optional permadeath for extra tension